Riders on the storm

As tens of thousands of tourists and residents packed up, boarded up, and "got out of Dodge" on Thursday, a few are choosing to ride out the storm on the Outer Banks as Hurricane Earl approaches. NBC's Ron Mott reports from Kill Devil Hills, N.C.

At least 1 dead after tornadoes tear through Oklahoma

WATCH: Drivers Take Cover as Oklahoma Tornado Rips Past

Severe Thunderstorm Spawns Several Tornadoes in Oklahoma

Tornado Rips Apart Power Lines As It Moves Through Moore, Oklahoma

NBC News
March 25, 2015

Powerful Cyclone Rips Through Australia

NBC News
March 22, 2015

This content comes from a Full-Text Transcript of the program.

BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor:in with our corespondents along the
Eastern Seaboard
. You heard mention eastern
Long Island
's going to get clipped.
NBC
's
Peter Alexander
is there.
Michelle Franzen
on
Cape Cod
, also in the cone of this. And
Ron Mott
also in
Kill Devil Hills
.
Ron
, good evening.

RON MOTT reporting:Brian
, good evening to you. Today was moving day here on the outer banks. This small motel behind me was filled with guests just yesterday. Tonight it sits empty and quiet. And of course, in just a few hours, it's about to get real noisy out here. Getting ready for a rude awakening in
North Carolina
.

Mr. DERWOOD SMITH:Now, does it have the oil in it and everything, too?

Unidentified Man #1:The oil is in it, yes, sir.

Mr. SMITH:OK.

MOTT:Coastal residents like
Sherry
and
Derwood Smith
geared up for what Earl could leave behind come morning.

Unidentified Man #2:Good luck, guys.

MOTT:Generators, gas cans, jumper cables and other emergency supplies were carted off in bulk just hours before Earl storms in.

Mr. SMITH:Before we'll go, it'll have to be a direct hit. We'll stay for the -- all the other stuff.

Mr. DOUG RAY (Paradise Fun Park):Everybody's a little disappointed, including us. It's -- our season will be over here in very short time anyway, so, you know, we'd like to take advantage of that. But, you know, safety first.

Mr. MATT LAWRENCE (Richmond, Virginia Tourist):They've asked us to leave, so we're going to have to cut our vacation short this year.

MOTT:Further north on the mid-
Atlantic coast
, from
Virginia
to
Delaware
, it seems beach vacations continue uninterrupted. For now, at least, surf's up in
Ocean City
,
Maryland
.

Mr. SHAWN ESHAM (Ocean City, Maryland Resident):It's been a long time since
Ocean City
has had a really bad hurricane, and I'm afraid that, you know, we're a mite -- kind of overdue.

MOTT:Back in
North Carolina
, locals are challenging Earl to see just how bad a hurricane he will be. Ron Mott, NBC News,
Kill Devil Hills
,
North Carolina
.